From Chaos Comes Clarity
by PrincessEmerald
Summary: Lily’s least favorite cousin is moving back to Roscoe. Love triangles (squares?) abound, but will the gang be able to pull through? Eventual Rily and TravisOC.
1. Unexpected

**From Chaos Comes Clarity  
**

**Summary:** Lily's least favorite cousin is moving back to Roscoe. Love triangles (squares?) abound, but will the gang be able to pull through? Eventual Rily and Travis/OC.

**Disclaimer:** Sadly, I do not own Radio Free Roscoe or any of its characters. I'm making no money off of this, so :P. Oh, but I DO own Cassandra Watson, and if you'd like to use her, kindly email me first. Thank you.

**A/N:** PrincessEmerald here, and I'd like everyone to know that this is my first RFR fanfic, and constructive criticism is welcome. Flames shall be used to make s'mores.  
so enjoy!

* * *

**CHAPTER ONE:  
**_Unexpected  
_

__

The first week of summer vacation had been going great for 16 year old Lily Randall. She and her best friends, Robbie McGrath, Ray Brennan, and Travis Strong operated their very own radio station, (Radio Free Roscoe) under the guises of Shady Lane, Question Mark, Pronto, and Smog, providing an uncensored underground voice for themselves and teenagers alike.

So the summer ahead was looking good, until a fateful night at dinner with her parents.  
David Randall peered over the rim of his glass at his only daughter, sitting across the table. "You remember your cousin Cassandra Watson, don't you?"

Suddenly, Lily felt an unpleasant sinking sensation in the pit of her stomach. Setting her fork down, she gazed warily back at her father. "I haven't seen her in almost 5 years, but yeah, I remember Cassandra," answered Lily. _Unfortunately..._ "Why?"

Anna Randall cleared her throat, pushing her dark blond hair behind her ears. "Well, honey, her parents, aunt Rachel and uncle Todd, are in the process of selling their house, out in British Columbia. They've asked if we'd be kind enough to have Cassandra here for a few weeks until they can move into the house they've bought here in Roscoe."

Lily was stunned. Eyes wide, she said, "Oh, uh — wow. So I take it they've been posted back here for good?" _Please say no, please_ —

Her parents nodded back at her, smiles on their faces. Of course, they'd never known of the hostility between their daughter and niece. Ever since a very young age, Lily and Cassandra Watson had never seen eye to eye on certain things: clothes, friends, toys, everything. They had been complete opposites since the day they were born, and hadn't really gotten along, but had to put on brave faces in front of their families. Lily had thought she'd be rid of her evil cousin for good when Cassandra had moved from a city just an hour away out to Victoria, BC, nearly 5 years ago because of her parents' jobs in the military.

Now, Lily's perfect summer was crashing down around her, and it had only just begun. Plastering a painfully fake smile across her lips, she nodded at her parents. "Well that's — um — great. Yeah, we'll have a blast." Twisting her napkin apart in her lap, Lily asked, "So when's she going to be here?"

Her mother glanced at the clock on the wall, replying, "Her flight arrives in 3 hours, so we'll be heading for the airport shortly."


	2. Fresh Voice

**CHAPTER TWO:  
**_A Fresh Voice_

"This week's gripe: Here at RFR, we hate it when you have to decide what you want to do for the rest of your life while still in highschool."

"...and now here's a song that will make you forget about the future, and highschool..."

"Hey guys!"

Lily entered the warehouse, about 15 minutes late for the broadcast. Before any of them could ask where she'd been, Lily forced a smile, making her voice ring with false cheeriness.  
"I'd like you to meet my cousin, Cassandra Watson."

Cassandra strolled in behind her blond cousin, taking in the rundown station, looking quite nonplused. Her dark brown hair hung to her shoulders in waves, and her long black skirt and navy blue camisole accentuated her pale skin. She would have been beautiful, if not for the shadow of a scowl on her face, and the vague, holier-than-thou quirk of her glossed lips.

"Uh, hey," Robbie said with a small wave, shooting Lily a panicked look. Lily knew the rules, so why was she bringing an outsider to an RFR broadcast!

Ray saluted. "Yo!"

Travis simply nodded from his seat in the booth, and Robbie raised his eyebrows at Ray across the table. "Since when do you say 'yo'?"

Before Ray could dignify Robbie's comment with an answer, Lily introduced them all to her cousin. "Cass, Mr. Yo over there is Ray, across from him is Robbie, and in the booth back there is Travis." Opening her arms to encompass the station, she remarked, "Welcome to Radio Free Roscoe — and if you tell a soul that we're behind this, I'll personally tell everyone at Roscoe High about that incident in 7th grade and ruin your reputation the moment you step through the school doors."

"Isn't that a bit harsh, Lily?" Ray asked. For her to threaten a member of her own family like that, Lily must not hold her in very high regard.

Travis' low voice resonated from the back. "Harsh but necessary, you mean. We can't risk our cover being blown, especially after nearly 2 years of successful anonymity." The song faded out, and the four were soon back into the broadcast, ready to wrap up the show.

Meanwhile, Cassandra was browsing the CDs on the racks between the booth and old red vinyl couch. She saw the Ataris, but where was Don Henley? Why bother airing the remake instead of the original? Cassandra shook her head in disgust, settling down onto the couch, observing her cousin and friends. She vaguely remembered meeting Ray and Robbie long ago, so the one named Travis must've been a relatively new member of their little group.

Finally, the broadcast ended, and the four set down their headphones. Deciding to break the ice, (and maybe stir something up), Cassandra gestured to the CD collection beside her. "So where's the Sex Pistols? Queen? Jimi Hendrix? The Doors, maybe?"

Ray gave her a blank look. "Who're the Doors?"

Leaning forward, Cassandra asked, "You're kidding, right? Jim Morrison was the lead singer — ring any bells?"

She rolled her eyes as Ray continued to shake his head. "Nope, sorry."

"Listen, cuz, we play what we like, and nothing mainstream. And since you're not part of RFR, you have no right —"

Lily was cut short by Robbie. "No, you know what? Cassandra might be right. We barely ever play any classics." He grinned towards the brunette. "Thanks for the idea." Turning to Lily, Robbie continued, "Weren't you saying just the other day that you were sick of being the only female DJ?"

Lily stared at Robbie, willing the idea out of his head. "What? No, I never said that —"

"Sure you did, Lil," Ray said with a grin. He leaned back in his chair, hands behind his head. "And who better than Cassandra over there? She's got a great taste in music —"

"— and she's the only other person that knows about us anyway," Travis finished, shrugging. "Why not?"

"Okay," Robbie exclaimed, rubbing his hands together. "All in favor of a new DJ, raise your hand."

Ray's hand shot into the air immediately, followed by Robbie and Travis. They looked pointedly at Lily, who sighed in defeat. Muttering "fine" under her breath, she raised her hand as well.

Cassandra smiled, completely startled. "Are you guys sure? I mean, you've only just met me. I don't want to intrude..."

"Don't worry. We need a fresh voice around here anyway. To keep things interesting," Ray dismissed. Having another girl around could definitely be interesting.

_Great,_ Lily thought. _She's only been here for a day and has already managed to worm her way into my life._ Putting on a brave face, she asked, "So, Cass, what will your RFR name be? I'm Shady Lane, Ray is Pronto, Travis is Smog, and Robbie is Question Mark."

Cassandra fingered the silver 'C' pendant around her neck. "How about... Chaos?"

They smiled at her, and for once she began to feel like she fit in somewhere. Cassandra was even more surprised to the genuine smile on her cousin' face.

"Welcome to Radio Free Roscoe, Chaos."


	3. Party, anyone?

**CHAPTER THREE:**  
_Party, anyone?_

__

__

  
That weekend, Lily, Robbie, Ray and Travis were hanging out at Mickey's Discs. Cassandra was at the library, much to Lily's relief, having said something about researching obscure flower classifications.

"I can't help but feel like," Robbie sipped his milkshake, "we should do something special for our new member." He looked pointedly at his friends. "Any ideas?"

Running his fingers through his hair, Ray replied, "How about a party?"

"You're just looking for an excuse to discuss the history of trousers again," Travis laughed, stirring his tea.

Ray's smile faltered, giving way to a scandalized look. "Hey! How did you know about that?!"

"Anyway," Lily interrupted, "that is a good idea." She shrugged. "Maybe we can have a warehouse party, like back in 9th."

Robbie agreed. Taking matters into his own hands, he approached the counter, behind which Mickey Stone, the owner, was serving up a latte to a customer.

"Hey Mickey," Robbie greeted, as the customer left.

The man smiled. "Hey kid. What's up?"

"Uh, listen," Robbie lowered his voice, "I hear that RFR's got a new DJ, called Chaos. I was wondering if, you know, we could throw a party in her — or uh, his — honor, to welcome them."

Mickey thought a moment, then nodded. "Sure, what the hell. How about next Tuesday, at 8pm sharp?"

Grinning, Robbie replied, "Thanks Mick, you rock. I'll let RFR know, and we'll — I mean, they'll — send flyers around."


	4. Revelations

**CHAPTER FOUR:  
**_Revelations_

The group had less than three days to grab people's attention for the Radio Free Roscoe 'New Recruit' party. Feedback was great, and anticipation levels seemed high in regard to hearing Chaos' first broadcast.

The afternoon of the party, Lily found Cassandra in the spare bedroom she now called her own across the hall. The desk was scattered with school texts, and botany and entomology books that Lily was surprised to see. "I had no idea you were interested in this stuff, Cass," she remarked.

Cassandra rolled her eyes, continuing to dig around in the closet. "Yeah, well, there's obviously a lot you don't know about me."

A sudden, irrational anger surged through Lily. "You know, I'm really trying to get along with you, no matter what we've been through in the past. You're going to be living here for a while, and for god's sake — you're even on RFR!" Her features softened as she held eye contact with the cousin she hadn't seen in years.

Cassandra seemed taken aback, as she'd never seen Lily explode like that. Lily had always been the sweet, mild-mannered one, and she the not-so-sweet party girl. Lily touched her arm. "Listen, I'd like us to be friends. We're almost 17 years old, and I think it's time we finally got along."

Narrowing her eyes, Cassandra tossed a skirt and top onto the bed behind them. Surveying her cousin's face, seeing the honesty and truth in her sky-blue eyes, Cassandra's defenses faltered. For the first time in her life, she gave an authentic smile, finally realizing how much she really did love her cousin. Without Lily, who would argue with her, and keep her striving to come out on top?

Lily tentatively held out her arms, pulling Cassandra into an embrace. They both remembered when they were 6 years old, playing in a sandbox at the local playground. Lily had stolen Cassandra's shovel and buried it in the sand. After their mothers had forced Lily to dig it up and give it back, Cassandra had shoved Lily to the ground, and they'd both ended up in tears.  
But now, neither girl was hiding or hurting, and just maybe, things would be okay.


	5. Get This Party Started!

**CHAPTER FIVE:  
**_Get This Party Started!_

"So what do you guys think of Cassandra?" Robbie asked Ray and Travis. The three guys were waiting at the station for Lily and Cassandra. It was 7:30pm, a half hour until 'go time', as Ray always said.

"Opinionated, confident," Travis replied, gearing up his mixing equipment and lining up the tracks RFR would be playing that night. "Definitely related to Lily."

"Yeah," Ray agreed, straightening his red button down shirt. "And totally hot!"

Robbie rolled his eyes. "Is that all you ever think about?"

Just then, Cassandra and Lily stepped into the warehouse. "What are you talking about, Robbie? We all know Ray doesn't think!"

"Ha, ha."

Giving Ray a quick hug, Lily grinned. "Don't worry Ray. You know I love you just the same."

The two continued to smile almost wistfully at each other, until Robbie cleared his throat.  
"Uh, anyway. You two look great!"

Cassandra gave him a peck on the cheek. "Why, thank you. We do look good, don't we?" She gently gripped a piece of his curly brown hair. "And I love your hair, by the way. It's so — " she tugged it, then let it fall back into place. "— springy."

Robbie laughed, accepting the compliment.

"Alright everyone," Travis called from the booth, being careful not to mess up his immaculately spiked hair as he put on his headphones. "We're on in 2 minutes."

Feeling butterflies in the pit of her stomach, Cassandra took a seat beside Lily, across from Robbie and Ray. She followed suit as everyone put their headphones on, being careful not to disarrange her loose curls.

Travis flicked the on-air switch, and started. "You're listening to 88.1:"

"...Radio —" (Robbie)  
"— Free —" (Lily)  
"— Roscoe!" (Ray)

"This is Pronto, and on behalf of RFR I'd like to welcome everyone at Mickey's to this very special broadcast."

"That's right. Question Mark here, and I'm proud to introduce the newest member of Radio Free Roscoe... Chaos."

"Thanks QM, I'm glad to be here. But I think there's been too much talking, and not enough of what the listeners really want — so Smog, let's get this party started!"

With that, Travis started up the first mixed track.

Everyone smiled at Cassandra, and she felt her nerves be put to ease. Being a DJ was going to be great.

"Okay guys, this is how we'll work the party: everyone will go in shifts; so if we're all in agreement, Ray, you and Cassandra can start off," Robbie said, and they all nodded their assent. He looked up at the clock, mentally calculating how long songs would be, and how much time it took to get from the station to Mickey's. "It's 8:05, so you two get until 8:30, when Lily and Travis will switch, and I'll come soon after."

"Alright!" Ray exclaimed, holding his arm out to Cassandra. She latched onto him, smiling coyly. They left, but not before Ray gave them a wink over Cassandra's head.

Lily shook her own head. "Why do I get a bad feeling about this?"

------ ------ ------

Mickey's Discs was completely packed, wall to wall, with teenagers. The lights were low, RFR's music blared through large speakers, and Mickey had set up colorful strobe lights as well, giving everyone a flashing rainbow effect. A banner saying RFR Welcomes CHAOS was even strung up across the far wall. Cassandra couldn't think of a better way to be welcomed into a new town.

Ray led her through the mass of gyrating bodies up to the counter. Mickey welcomed them, knowing full well that the new girl was obviously Chaos. Cassandra ordered a simple fruit punch, and Ray was kind enough to pay for it. Soon they were approached by two dorky looking guys dressed in full disco garb.

The one with short dark hair grabbed Cassandra, twirling her around, careful not to spill her drink. "And what would your name be, pretty lady?" Cassandra laughed, introducing herself. The one with longish, curly hair pulled a silver flask from his Prince-like, purple crushed-velvet suit. "Beautiful name. And I'm Ted, while he's Ed."

Ray nodded towards Ted. "What've you got there, Disco Stu?"

Lowering his voice to a conspiring tone, Ed replied, "Pure, liquid spirits it is —" at the confused look on Ray's face, he explained, "— vodka, my good man, vodka!"

Cassandra grinned. They may be odd, but obviously knew how to party. She held her juice out to Ted. He raised his eyebrows, and poured some of the clear liquid into her cup. She downed it quickly, relishing the warm sensation as it flowed down her throat.

Ed, Ted, and Cassandra looked at Ray expectantly. Nervousness making his voice waver, he muttered, "Gimme that!" and took a nice long swig of vodka.

Soon, he and Cassandra were grinding on the dance floor, quite noticeably drunk.

------ ------ ------

Meanwhile, Lily and Travis were on their way to Mickey's to rotate shifts with Cassandra and Ray. It was almost quarter to nine, and Lily was becoming increasingly nervous. Cassandra had been a renowned party girl everywhere she went, and nothing good ever came of that.


	6. Drunken Drama

**CHAPTER SIX:**  
_Drunken Drama_

Lily sped up, and soon started running. In her apprehensive state, she barely had time to notice how hard it was running in heels.

"Hey, what's the hurry?" Travis called, breaking into a run himself to catch up with Lily.

Before long, they found themselves outside of Mickey's Discs, both huffing and puffing from the breakneck speed Lily had forced Travis to keep up with. They pushed through the crowd towards the center of the dance floor.

Travis spotted Ed and Ted, and asked if they'd seen Ray and a dark haired girl bearing a slight resemblance to Lily. Both grinning, they pointed to two people fiercely making out while still managing to dance, beneath the banner.

Travis couldn't remember the last time he'd seen Lily look so angry. The look in her eyes was positively murderous.

"Come on, Trav," Lily said through clenched teeth. "We're going to put a stop to this." With that, she marched up to Ray, and pried him off of her cousin.

Cassandra began to pout, reaching for Ray in vain. Looking distressed, Ray whined petulantly, "Let go of me, Lily! Cass and I are just trying to have fun —"

Practically seething, Lily cried, "God, Ray, you're drunk, aren't you?!" When Cassandra giggled, still trying to reach Ray, Lily continued, (though less surprised) "and so are you. That's just wonderful. Okay, let's go outside, and get you two home..."

Suddenly, in an alcohol-induced fit of jealousy, Ray exclaimed, "Get your filthy paws off her, swami!" and proceeded to punch Travis in the jaw, just because he'd taken Cassandra's arm to lead her out the door. The crowd parted as Lily led Ray and Cassandra outside, Travis following behind, completely stunned and rubbing his jaw. Even drunk, Ray had a hell of a right-hook.

Lily sat the two down at opposite ends of a café table outside, pulling out her cell phone. Travis, keeping his distance from Ray, asked, "Who are you calling?"

"Robbie of course — we've got to tell him what's going on."

His cell rang once, and he sounded worried. "Lily! What's up? Where are you guys?"

"Still at Mickey's. Listen, you're the only one with a car, so we need you to take Ray home."

"What? Why?"

"He and Cass are drunk, and he even punched Travis. So just end the broadcast... say something about an emergency. Hurry!" Snapping her phone closed and shoving it back into her purse, Lily turned to Ray and Cassandra. "Robbie's on his way, and he's taking you home." Glaring at her cousin, she added, "and I'm taking you home. I can't believe you ruined your own party!"

"Oh, come on Lil, you're no fun," Cassandra replied, pouting again. Ray moved his chair closer to hers, nearly falling off in the process. They began making out once more, much to Lily and Travis' disgust.

Finally, Robbie pulled up in the battered old truck that he'd bought from his uncle for just 600 bucks. It got him from point A to point B, and that's all Robbie cared about. He jumped out, a very confused look on his face as he surveyed Ray and Cassandra kissing and groping, then at a furious Lily a few feet away, as well as Travis, who looked distinctly uncomfortable.  
With their combined efforts, Robbie and Lily were able to pull the two intoxicated lovebirds away from each other.

Robbie took Ray to his truck, having to partially shove him into the passenger seat. Without another word, Travis began walking in the direction of the station, while Lily slung Cassandra's arm around her shoulders to keep her from falling over.

Further down the road now, as Robbie drove towards the Brennan home, he was trying to coax some sort of explanation out of Ray. But, Ray appeared otherwise occupied singing along to his cell phone ring. Robbie was growing impatient. "Ray! Come on, man. What's up with you?"

Putting his cell back into his pocket with great reluctance, Ray sighed. "Cass and I were having a good time, okay? And now my hand hurts from hitting Fog's face." To further his point, Ray kissed his knuckles tenderly.

Eyebrow raised, Robbie corrected, "You mean 'Smog', right?" Ray shook his head. "Whatever. I'm just —" he yawned, "— tired."

A few minutes later, Robbie pulled into Ray's driveway. Opening his door and helping him out, Robbie warned, "Man, I hope your parents aren't home, or else you're dead." Thankfully, Ray's brother Tim opened the door, quickly ushering his younger sibling into the house. Robbie left before having to hear more of Ray's feeble excuses.

------ ------ ------

A few blocks away, Lily was dragging Cassandra up the stairs of her own house, and into the spare bedroom. Cassandra fell back onto her double-bed, prying her boots off and tossing them into the corner.

Hands on her hips, Lily hissed, "I can't believe you actually got drunk, Cass." After her cousin stuck her tongue out, Lily heaved an aggravated sigh. "And that stunt you pulled with Ray! Getting him drunk too, then using him as your personal make out toy — "

"Hey. Whoa, there, missy," Cassandra said, eyes narrowed. She pointed at Lily. "I didn't force him to do anything. We really like each other, that's all." Having said her piece, she fell back against the pillows, arms crossed.

"Well news flash, Cass!" Lily exclaimed. "Before you came along, I was the one that liked Ray, and he liked me back!" _Oh no,_ Lily thought worriedly. I_ did not just admit my feelings about Ray to my least favorite person in the world_ — Lily was relieved to see, though, that Cassandra had passed out, snoring loudly. Hopefully she hadn't heard her confession, and if she did, Lily could only pray that Cassandra would forget by morning...


	7. Swimming, the Morning After

**CHAPTER SEVEN:  
**_Swimming, the Morning After  
_

Cassandra's dreams were filled with Lily's shrill voice and bright, dancing lights. She awoke in a haze, groaning as the sunlight hit her sensitive eyes, making her head pound ferociously. Rolling over, Cassandra realized she wasn't even under the blankets, let alone in her pajamas. She'd fallen asleep in her shiny purple top and short black skirt.

Suddenly, the reason for her hangover came racing back — the party. A smile touched her smeared lips as she remembered Ray's able hands and exploring mouth. Frowning, she could dimly recall Lily saying something about him, but that was all.

At that moment, Lily decided to barge into her cousin's room, a bright smile lighting up her features. "Good morning, cuz!" she exclaimed, throwing the curtains open, and causing Cassandra to recoil.

"What's so good about it?"

Lily rolled her eyes. "Hey, it's not my fault you've got a killer hangover." She then pulled Cassandra into a sitting position. "Hurry up and shower; the guys will be here in half an hour."

"Huh? Why?" asked Cassandra, standing with a yawn.  
Lily smirked. "For a swim, of course. It's almost one o'clock and a complete scorcher outside." Laughing, she added, "I hope you remembered to bring a bathing suit," and left.

The girl's interest was piqued. 'The guys', eh? That meant Ray... Feeling a spark of happiness through her terrible aching head, Cassandra laid out her bathing suit on the bed: a green bikini top and long, green and black board shorts.

She showered quickly, letting the warm water awaken her and ease the hangover away. Cassandra had attended many parties back in Victoria, and it usually only took a shower to get rid of them. Thinking about her old life consistently brought on memories of her old best friend, Katie, a fiery redhead that always knew how to have a good time. Cassandra blinked back tears as she made her way back into her room, slipping into her swimsuit. The past was the past, and there was nothing she could do about it — they'd said their goodbyes, the promises to email and call each other... Which, in Cassandra's experience, never went on for long.

Grabbing a towel, she headed downstairs, finding her uncle David sitting at the kitchen table reading the paper. Pointing to the deck outside, he remarked, "Everyone's already out by the pool." Cassandra smiled, walking out to the deck. From there she could see Robbie, Travis, Lily, and Ray splashing around in the water of the in-ground pool.

Heading down the steps, Lily's comments about the weather had been right: it was a sweltering day, the sun beating down from between puffy white clouds, sending a humid breeze weaving through her long damp hair.

Cassandra set her towel down on a lounge chair, picking up a bottle of sun screen. Unlike Lily, Cassandra found it impossible to tan. While Lily became a perfect, sun kissed bronze, Cassandra quite literally turned into a daily special from Red Lobster.

Finally, someone noticed she was there.

"Hey Cass!" Robbie yelled, a split second before Travis dunked his head beneath the water. He resurfaced, spluttering, "Dude! You just messed with the hair!" With that, Robbie and Travis were engaged in a watery battle of dunking each other beneath the clear pool water. Cassandra laughed at their antics, beginning to rub her arms with sun screen.

As she watched Ray and Lily toss around a Nerf frisbee, Cassandra was struck by a better way to keep herself from becoming sunburnt. A sly smile curved her mouth. "Oh, Ray!" she called.

He turned around to face her, the frisbee Lily had tossed him narrowly missing his head. "Hey! What's up?"

Twisting a dark curl around her finger, Cassandra continued, "Would you mind helping me? I can't seem to reach my back..."

In his haste to get to her side, Ray stumbled up the pool steps, nearly falling flat on his face. Water dripped from his athletic frame and red swim trunks, nearly making Cassandra's mouth water. She smiled up at him, handing him the sun screen as he sat behind her on the lounge. She moved her hair aside, and welcomed his large hands gliding over her neck and back.

Lily, Robbie and Travis had busied themselves in tossing the frisbee back and forth, but to the observant eye, one would notice the hurt and looks of longing that Lily and Travis were throwing their way. Travis couldn't explain it, not even to himself, why he was so drawn to Cassandra. It wasn't simply a physical attraction, like she obviously had with Ray, but something deeper, and he really wanted to find out more about her. It would be hard, though, especially since she and Ray were all over each other 24/7.

Soon, the two stood, and Cassandra was pleasantly surprised when Ray leaned in, claiming her lips with his. The kiss deepened, with Cassandra running her fingers back through his water-slicked hair, and Ray trailing his hands up and down her sides. Shivering, Cassandra pulled away.

Worried, Ray asked if she was cold.

Shaking her head, she smiled up at him. "Far from it."


	8. Unresolved Feelings

**CHAPTER EIGHT:  
**_Unresolved Feelings_

__

__

  
Robbie was a stickler for perfection. Which is why he found himself at the station after dinner the next night, putting CDs back into their correct alphabetical order, emptying the trash, and labeling pre-recorded shows. Keeping things running smoothly and methodically soothed him, having been a perfectionist from birth. One thing he could never question was perfection.

The door to the warehouse burst open, making Robbie jump about 10 feet into the air, and causing the pile of CDs he'd so painstakingly stacked to tumble over.

In walked Travis, laptop in hand, a scowl marring his usual serene features. Spotting Robbie clutching his chest at the table, Travis chuckled. "Sorry for scaring you. I didn't see your truck or any bikes outside, and I didn't think anyone would be here this time of night."

Robbie shook his head, trying to calm his frazzled nerves. "Yeah, it's okay. I was just tidying things up in here anyway." Travis settled himself onto the couch, flipping his laptop open.

"So, uh, why are you here, again?" Robbie had found a few old blankets and a pillow behind the tech booth, and figured Travis had been spending the night sometimes.

"Oh, you know, just wanted a quiet place to upload music," he shrugged.

Robbie had long suspected that Travis had a tumultuous home life, and this further confirmed his suspicions. "So... do you want to talk about it?" Robbie asked, pulling out a chair to sit facing his friend.

Travis quirked an eyebrow. "About what? Uploading music?"

Sighing, Robbie said, "No, not that. About... anything. We haven't exactly had a personal conversation in a while."

The blond boy's face clouded, and he abruptly stopped typing. "Well, I guess there is something — it's about Cassandra."

It was Robbie's turn to raise an eyebrow. _Not exactly what I had in mind, but good enough._ "Oh? What about her?"

Face in his hands, Travis mumbled, "I don't know. It's just that —" He finally glanced up at Robbie, finding the inquisitive gleam in his eye quite disconcerting. "— every time I see her with Ray, I feel jealous."

"So you like her?"

"No! That's impossible. She and Ray seem fairly cozy together..."

Robbie held up a hand, stopping Travis' attempts at trying to hide how he really felt.  
"I can tell you've got feelings for her, Strong. But you've got a point: she and Ray are quite, um, attached to each other." He shrugged sympathetically. "You missed your chance."

With that, Robbie bid Travis good night, as it was almost 9pm. If he wasn't home soon, he'd be seeing his face on milk cartons the next morning.

Stepping outside, he was bombarded by what felt like a hurricane. Rain and huge gusts of wind pelted Robbie, and now he was very upset with himself for not taking his bike or truck. So he broke into a jog, wanting to get home as quickly as possible. Seconds later Robbie collided with something soft, hopefully a human being and not a bear; it was hard to tell in the stormy twilight.

"Robbie?" the person exclaimed, and only after they pulled down the blue hood of their sweater did he know who it was.

"Cass, hey!" Robbie really didn't want to stay outside a minute longer, but he stayed where he was, jogging on the spot, humoring her.

"Hell of a storm, eh?" Cassandra nearly yelled. "What are you doing out here?"

"Nothing, just on my way home. Listen, I'll see you later, okay? I have to get going!"

Cassandra shrugged, watching Robbie's form fade as he ran off. It was amazing how fast the storm had come; the sun was just setting when she'd left the Randall residence, and just as the warehouse came into view, the sky had opened up, spilling its tears onto them. Cassandra was used to this kind of weather having lived on the west coast for almost 5 years.

Going down the stairs and into the station, Cassandra trembled, soaked through from the rain, and feeling distinctly chilly. Travis and ducked beneath his work equipment to grab a pillow and blanket, and was temporarily invisible to her.

She began browsing through a rack of CDs that Robbie had so carefully put away, searching for the Queen and Pink Floyd mix she'd left behind. "Alright Mr. Floyd, where've you hidden Mr. Mercury?" muttered Cassandra.

"Try under 'M', subcategory 'Q'."

Cassandra spun around, a startled yelp slipping from her mouth. "Travis! Wow, you scared me."

Smiling, he replied, "Yes, it seems to have become a habit of mine tonight. Why are you so surprised to see me here?"

Hands on her hips, Cassandra remarked, "Well, because it's 9:30 at night, and any respectable teenager should be at home watching their favorite TV show, that's why."

Chuckling, Travis set the pillow and blanket onto the couch. "Then why are you here?"

Cassandra laughed. "I'm not a respectable teenager."

"Ah, touché."

She walked over to the couch, sitting down beside him. "Seriously though, what are you doing here so late?"

Travis averted his eyes, toying with a hole in the blanket lying between them. "I like to sleep here sometimes. It's peaceful," he admitted.

"I know how you must feel," Cassandra agreed quietly, without even meaning to. "My parents fight all the time. Back in Victoria, I'd stay overnight at my best friend Katie's house almost every night, just to get away. I did everything possible to stay away from home."

There was a long pause, where Cassandra berated herself for giving someone so much personal information after only knowing them for a little over a week.

Finally, Travis looked up, staring at her inquiringly. Almost to himself, he murmured, "I can't explain this trust I feel. I've never told anyone about my home life... but I'm in a similar situation. My parents are rarely home, my dad being a diplomat and mom still working for the embassy in Hong Kong, and when they are home, it gets ugly."

Cassandra's hand reached out, her fingers trailing lightly against the purple-blue bruise along his jaw. "Sorry," she whispered.

Smiling ruefully, Travis asked, "Sorry about what? You didn't do this."

"I might as well have."

He shrugged. "Don't worry about it. I'm used to Ray's temper by now." He continued staring intently into her eyes, making Cassandra suddenly feel self-conscious. She then realized her hand was still against his jaw. Dropping her hand back to her lap, she looked away, a blush coloring her cheeks. Why was she so nervous? Cassandra had always been almost overly-confident when it came to guys. Then again, she'd also only hung out with the comedic/jock types, never anyone like Travis.

A lock of dark, wet hair fell across Cassandra's cheek when she'd looked away. Travis brushed it off, his hand lingering against the side of her face. She glanced up, dark hazel eyes meeting the deep blue-green of his. All of a sudden, his lips were against hers, and they were kissing slowly, savoring the moment.

A troubled look clouded Travis' face as he broke the kiss. "We shouldn't be doing this. What about Ray?"

Guilt suddenly overcame Cassandra, making her eyes sting with tears. She'd completely forgotten about Ray, how sweet and caring he was. "I... don't know anymore." She stood, avoiding Travis' questioning gaze. "I've got to go — see you later."


	9. Choices

**Disclaimer: Blah blah, I don't own RFR, blah blah, I only own Cassandra Watson, etc.**

**A/N: Thanks for the reviews! This chapter is the beginning of the end, though, sorry. I'm working on tying up the loose ends in Chapter 10, and I'm not sure if I'll be able to squeeze in an 11th... but stay tuned!**

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**CHAPTER NINE:**  
_Choices  
_

A few days later, just an hour before the next RFR broadcast, Cassandra found herself at Mickey's, sipping a warm cappuccino. Ever since that late night with Travis at the station, she'd been forced to re-evaluate her feelings for both he and Ray. Staying here for the summer was supposed to be fun and carefree, no strings attached. Now she felt herself falling for one of her cousin's good friends, and... it wasn't supposed to be like that. Cassandra had dated casually over the years, being careful not to let anyone get too close. Which is exactly what she'd been planning to do here in Roscoe, but one person was threatening her plans. 

Cassandra looked up in time to see Robbie walk in, eyes surveying the late afternoon crowd, looking for someone in particular. He finally spotted Cassandra, strolling over to her small corner table, and sitting down across from her. "You do realize that we're on at 4pm right? As in, half an hour?"

Cassandra nodded, too preoccupied with her thoughts to give any further acknowledgment of his presence. "Robbie, can I ask you something?"

"Yeah, of course. Shoot."

Sighing, she went on, "Why does love have to be so confusing?"

Robbie shook his head, but before he could respond, she continued, "Why can't love be cut-and-dry, black and white, yes or no? What's with all the in-betweens, shades of grey, and maybes?"

Robbie shifted in his chair, feeling uncomfortable. When had his friends' lives become a bad soap opera? "This is about Ray and Travis, isn't it?"

Cassandra wasn't surprised that he knew about Travis. She nodded.

"Listen, I can't tell you what to do, but I can give you something to think about: What is your heart telling you? Not your mind, not what I'm saying, or what Lily says, or even Ray and Travis — but you."

She stood slowly, saying quietly, "Yeah, you're right. Now let's get to the station."

The two were just in time for RFR. Lily commented on their tardiness, but Robbie shrugged off their questions, saying that he and Cassandra had simply got caught up in a conversation at Mickey's.

Soon the five were on the air, with Robbie starting them off as usual. "I'm Question Mark, and I'm —"

Cassandra quickly interrupted, "Hey QM? Mind if I ask the listeners a question?" Robbie nodded, fully understanding her intentions. Lily and Ray traded confused and suspicious looks across the table, while Travis kept his face carefully blank.

"This is Chaos, and I'd like to know if anyone out there has been caught between two equally tempting options, and thus became confused as hell?"

The phone rang, and Travis held up a small chalkboard with the caller's name. "Go ahead, Justin, you're on the air," Robbie said.

"I'd just like to say that I know exactly how Chaos feels. I loved my girlfriend but had to break it off when someone better came along, and we've been together for 2 years now. It hurt at first, but I realized it was for the greater good, you know?"

Cassandra was glad for the callers' responses. It would help make her decision that much easier. After the show, she followed Ray and Lily to Mickey's, as it was open-mike night, and Lily was set to perform a new song she'd written.

Robbie told them that he and Travis would catch up.

Emerging from the tech booth, Travis gave Robbie a questioning stare.

"You've made a move, I take it?" asked Robbie.

Travis' mouth quirked into a subtle smirk as he grabbed his jacket from the couch. "You could say that. And yes, I'm intelligent enough to realize that Cassandra's question earlier was about Ray and I." His smile faltered. "Is there something else?"

Robbie shrugged as they trekked up the stairs. "No, just wondering how you can be so passive about the whole situation."

"I'm not. It's just that I'm letting Cassandra decide what she wants, and I'm content with waiting for her to do so."

------ ------ ------

At Mickey's, meanwhile, Cassandra was finding it difficult to pay attention to what Ray was talking about. He was either trying to discuss some lucky baseball card or glazed doughnuts with sprinkles. Cassandra couldn't tell; all she could think about was discussing something more meaningful with Travis. She wasn't surprised to realize that she felt nothing more than physical attraction for Ray and an appreciation of his class-clown humor. Cassandra needed something more, and Ray was just the goofy best friend.

Ray squeezed her hand, bringing the girl crashing back to the present. "Are you okay? You look a bit... spacey."

Cassandra forced a smile. Looking him straight in the eye, she spilled the truth. "Things really aren't working out between us, Ray. I'm sorry for leading you on."

Ray pulled his hand away, smiling to cover up the pain of rejection. "Yeah, it's okay, I understand. You 'just want to be friends', 'it's not me it's you', et cetera, right?"

Lily took to the stage right then, beginning to play a slow, melodic rift on her guitar.

"Ray, look, there's something you need to know," Cassandra went on, not caring if it wasn't really her place to say it. He still refused to look at her, wanting to bolt, but staying for Lily's sake. "It's about Lily. She told me a few nights ago that... she likes you. A lot. More than friendship."

Ray was stunned. He'd been waiting his whole life to hear those words, just under different circumstances. Finally, Ray met her gaze. "You're serious?"

"Of course! She's been lying to herself, and um, she knows as well as you and I do that... the two of you belong together." Cassandra stood, startled to feel tears streaming down her cheeks. "Ray, as soon as Lily steps off of that stage, promise me that you'll tell her you love her."

Ray tried to smile, but it came across as more of a grimace. He simply nodded, watching her disappear out the doors of Mickey's.

Blinded by tears, Cassandra had rammed into Robbie in her haste to get away from Ray and find Travis.

Robbie grabbed her arm. Concerned, he asked, "How did it go? And why are you crying?"

Cassandra brushed the wetness from her eyes, managing a watery smile. "Oh Robbie, nothing's wrong anymore. But where's Travis? I thought you and he were coming right behind us."

Robbie grinned suddenly, happy and relieved that everything was falling into place for his friends. "He decided to stay back at the station to mix a few tracks for the next show."

She gave him a quick hug, hurrying off to the warehouse. She burst in, this time giving Travis a scare. He stopped what he was doing, giving her a cautious smile. "You've made your decision?"

Cassandra threw her arms around him, savoring the way their bodies seemed to fit perfectly together, his chin resting against her temple as he hugged her back.

Travis pulled back a bit, wiping her joyous tears away, cradling her face in his hands. They kissed, and neither could think of anywhere else they'd rather be. He figured that a profound saying would help cement their feelings. "...and from chaos, comes clarity."

Cassandra grinned. "Definitely."


	10. Home Sweet Home

**A/N:** Thanks for the reviews! And just a little warning for everyone: this chapter contains abuse/violence/profanity, so read at your own risk (even though it's a short, but meaningful, scene). This is the last chapter, but a sort of "sequel" could be in the works... )

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Radio Free Roscoe or any of its characters, etc. I do own the Watson family, though :P

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**CHAPTER TEN:  
**_Home Sweet Home_

Travis walked Cassandra back to Lily's that night, both of them feeling as if a weight had been lifted from their shoulders. The porch light was on, and there was Lily, perched on the front steps, staring up into the starry sky. Lily wasn't surprised in the least to see them holding hands, talking and laughing as if they'd known each other for years. On the contrary, Lily was mildly sickened. 

Cassandra bid Travis goodnight, telling him that she'd see him the next day. Her smile wavered as she approached her cousin. Lily looked angry, and Cassandra really didn't want to hear it, but she stayed where she was.

"I think you're horrible for leading Ray on," Lily remarked, the venom in her voice unmistakable.

Cassandra crossed her arms over chest. "But?"

Lily began running her fingers through her long, blond tresses, a nervous gesture Cassandra recognized. "_But_, I'm kind of glad you did. When I saw you with him, it actually made me jealous. You made me realize that I, you know, that I love Ray, and that I've been denying my feelings for him all these years."

Cassandra held her hand out to Lily, helping her up. Lily smiled a bit, gently squeezing her cousin's hand. "Now we've both gotten what we want..."

Nodding, Cassandra followed her into the house. "Yeah," she murmured. "We did."

------ ------ ------

Just one week later, Cassandra's parents showed up in Roscoe, moving trucks following in their wake. Apparently, the house in Victoria sold faster than everyone had expected, and that's how Cassandra and the rest of the RFR gang found themselves helping to unload the trucks into the Watsons' new home, just a block from the Randall's.

"Where do you want these?" asked Ray, holding up a small box of wooden Buddhas and crystal angels.

Not paying attention, Cassandra pointed towards the window seat of her new room. "Just throw them over there."

A distinct crash made her wince. Lily slugged Ray in the arm, saying, "Not literally, idiot!"

"Ow Lily! That _hurt_."

Lily just rolled her eyes, setting a box of photo albums onto Cassandra's newly-put together bed. Taking pity on him, she kissed his cheek, still trying to wrap her mind around the fact that she and Ray were together... as in boyfriend and girlfriend. They were all going into 11th grade after all, so Lily figured it was about time. And all it took was an evil cousin to come between them.

Ray went back out to the trucks, wanting to help Travis and Robbie carry in Cassandra's huge dresser.

An album fell from the box, its pages flipping open. Lily bent over and picked it up, surveying the pictures her cousin had so carefully taped in.

"Hey, who's that?" she asked, pointing to one of a slim red haired girl, grinning and posing for the camera.

Cassandra looked up from arranging piles of books onto a shelf. Lily held up the album, and Cassandra replied, "Oh, that's Katie Malloy... a friend of mine from BC." She smiled sadly. "Best friend, actually."

"You miss her."

Cassandra nodded. "A lot."

------ ------ ------

Two days later, the Watsons had settled into their new home. This didn't stop the arguments and disagreements about furniture placement, grocery lists, or money, however. Cassandra was lying on her four-poster bed in her new room, trying to lose herself in Thomas Harris' _Red Dragon_, as well as the new Velvet Revolver CD that was blaring through her headphones.

A loud shriek and crashing sound cut through the music, causing the book to slip from Cassandra's grip and onto the floor. She pulled her headphones off, setting them down beside her discman slowly, an acute sense of dread turning her insides to ice.

Cassandra stood, wiping her suddenly sweaty palms onto her short jean cutoffs. She absolutely hated when her parents fought... especially since her mother always ended up with bruises the next day, and her father, a hangover.

She made her way down the winding main staircase, careful not to make a sound. Peeking around the corner and into the spacious kitchen, Cassandra saw her mom sprawled out on the linoleum floor, sobbing, a shattered vase resting in pieces at her arm. Todd Watson stood a few feet away by the counter, face red, a bottle of Jack Daniels in his hand. He suddenly spotted his daughter. "C'mere Cassie," he slurred, voice dangerously low.

She stepped into the kitchen, instinctively obeying him, shaking from head to toe, determined not to cry. Her father despised weakness of any kind.

"Leave her alone, Todd," Rachel Watson whispered harshly to her husband, not daring to move from her painful position on the cold floor.

He glared at his wife, slamming the bottle onto the counter top. "Shut up, bitch!" Turning to a terrified Cassandra, he held out his arms, pleading with mock-sincerity, "Gimme a hug, Cassie baby. Come and give daddy a hug. I missed you," he added, as she hugged him tentatively, not wanting to make any sudden moves, lest he hurt her and her mother even more.

Pulling away, he gripped his only daughter's arms painfully hard. "Have you found yourself a boyfriend yet, Cassie? It's been a few weeks, someone must have caught your wandering eye by now..." Cassandra swallowed a sob. Eyes burning with tears, she mumbled "no". Todd shook her hard, shouting, "You have too, you little slut! I'm sure you've fucked the entire football team by now —"

"Todd!" his wife chastised. She stood up, legs shaky, holding a dish towel against the large bloody gash on her arm. The woman moved to pull her daughter away from him, but in the next instant, he had slapped Cassandra, sending her tumbling into Rachel, both slamming into the refrigerator.

Anger surged through the teenage girl. She stumbled away from her weak mother and alcoholic father, feeling disgusted. It was nearly midnight, and Cassandra barely knew her way around Roscoe, but she ran out of the house anyway. The night was muggy, the air thick and stifling in anticipation of an oncoming storm. Cassandra almost smiled as she thought about how the weather always seemed to reflect her mood. She soon found herself at the local park, just as the first rumble of thunder and streak of lightning filled the sky. _Just my luck_, Cassandra thought wryly, curling up on a nearby bench.

Now what was she supposed to do? She couldn't possibly stay outside all night, sleeping on a bench like some hobo. Glancing around, Cassandra spotted a phone booth a few meters away.  
Just as she stepped into the haven of rectangular glass, the rain came pouring down. She picked up the thick black receiver, searching her mind frantically for Travis' cell phone number. Finally, she remembered it, and hurriedly punched in the numbers.

On the tenth ring, he picked up.  
"Mmmph?"

Obviously, Cassandra had woken him up. "Travis? It's Cassandra, I —"

"Cass? What's wrong?" he asked, suddenly wide awake.

Her throat choked with tears, she barely managed to whisper, "My parents — were fighting. I ran out and now...I'm in the park..."

"Don't worry. I'll be right there."

The phone died before either of them could hang up properly. Cassandra suddenly felt nauseous, as she slumped down the side of the enclosed space, pressing her face against the cool glass.

A spark of hope ignited inside of Cassandra, helping her to grab onto the phone cord and slowly pull herself upright as the sudden waves of nausea passed. Everything would be okay. He was coming. He would make it all go away.

Cassandra cautiously stepped out of the phone booth. The rain had slowed to a light drizzle, making her already wavy hair frizz at the ends. She noticed a distinctly male figure briskly make its way from the sidewalk and onto the grass, the far away streetlight casting him in shadow.  
An irrational fear trickled through Cassandra's mind, making her think that it was her father, coming to punish her for her disobedience. She turned to run away, but slipped on the grass, landing on her knees, a fresh sweep of tears making her stomach clench and throat ache. When would it end?

Travis' concerned voice broke through the girl's misery, making her look up with renewed hope. "Cassandra! Come on, stand up — how long have you been out here?" He helped her to her feet, wrapping his worn jacket around her shoulders as she collapsed against his chest.  
"Oh Travis... I'm so glad it's you! I thought you were m-my dad..." Cassandra mumbled, sobbing in relief.

Travis stroked her hair, telling her over and over that she was safe now, and that he'd make sure nothing bad would ever happen again.  
And from that night on, Travis was the anchor in Cassandra's stormy home life. But he was right: as long as he was around, she'd be alright.


End file.
